Dianthus plant named ‘KonD1335K1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dianthus  plant named ‘KonD1335K1’, characterized by its uniformly mounding and upright to broadly spreading plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; freely and remontant flowering habit from early spring until the autumn; dark red-colored single flowers; vernalization treatment not required for flowering; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KonD1335K1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant, botanically known as Dianthus hybrida, grown commercially as a container and garden plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KonD1335K1’.

The new Dianthus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Westerbrok, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new hardy Dianthus plants with remontant flowering habit with good container and garden performance.

The new Dianthus plant originated from a cross-pollination in May, 2012 of a proprietary selection of Dianthus hybrida identified as code number D11229, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Dianthus hybrida identified as code number D934, not patented, as the male, or pollen, plant. The new Dianthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in July, 2013 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Westerbrok, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dianthus plant by vegetive terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Chicago, Ill. since September, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Dianthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KonD1335K1’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KonD1335K1’ as a new and distinct Dianthus plant:

-   -   1. Uniformly mounding and upright to broadly spreading plant         habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   2. Freely and remontant flowering habit from early spring until         the autumn.     -   3. Dark red-colored single flowers.     -   4. No vernalization requirement for flowering.     -   5. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus are more vigorous than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus have are not as vigorous as plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus and the male parent selection         differ in flower form as plants of the new Dianthus have single         flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection have         semi-double flowers.

Plants of the new Dianthus can also be compared to plants of Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Fusilier’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of ‘Fusilier’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus have shorter flowering stems than         plants of ‘Fusilier’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Fusilier’.     -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus have single-type flowers whereas         plants of ‘Fusilier’ have semi-double flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dianthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dianthus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KonD1335K1’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KonD1335K1’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown during the summer in ground beds and in 2.5-quart containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. and under cultural practices typical of commercial container Dianthus production. During the final production phase of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 27° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 5,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Plants were 18 weeks old when the photographs were taken and 20 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrida ‘KonD1335K1’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             hybrida identified as code number D11229, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             hybrida identified as code number D934, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About six to seven weeks at temperatures ranging             from 7° C. to 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color, actual             color of the roots dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer, substrate temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial, typically             grown as a container and garden plant; uniformly mounding,             upright to broadly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 12             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 16             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 24 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely basal branching             habit with numerous primary lateral stems; each primary             lateral stem with secondary lateral stems potentially             forming at every node. Length, lateral stems: About 10 cm.             Diameter, lateral stems: Thick, about 2.5 mm. Internode             length, proximally: About 4 mm, leaves are densely stacked.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect, lateral stems: Mostly             outward then curving upright. Cross-section: Round, solid.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous, glaucous; matte.             Color: Close to 146A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A to             189B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate to acicular.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate; decurrent.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous, glaucous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A to 189B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A;             thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A giving a bluish green             appearance to the leaves; venation, close to 147A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N137B; thin waxy             cuticle, close to 189A; venation, close to N137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Terminal and axillary             single flowers arranged singly or in pairs; freely flowering             habit with numerous flowers developing during the flowering             season; flowers face mostly upright to slightly outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Consistent remontant flowering             habit from the early spring until the autumn in northern             Illinois; plants do not require a vernalization treatment to             initiate flowering; plants begin flowering about six to             eight weeks after planting.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; clove-like, sweet.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Oblong; styles not extruded. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.75 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 cm; at             the base, about 1.1 mm. Shape: Spatulate, fan-shaped. Apex:             Praemorse. Base: Elongated, tapering to a point. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 53C becoming closer to 53A to             53B with development. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 53A to 53B; throat, close to 53A;             venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with             development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl; proximal 75% portion of the sepals are fused             into a tubular-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.6 cm. Sepal             width, at base of “free” portion: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong.             Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, inner             surface: Close to 146B. Color, outer surface: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible and wiry. Aspect: Mostly erect.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to             146A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A to 189B.         -   Pedicels (when flowers arranged in pairs).—Length: About             1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible and             wiry. Aspect: About 30° to 45° from the peduncle axis.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to             146A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A to 189B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About five stamens             per flower. Filament length: About 7.5 mm. Filament color:             Close to NN155C. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong. Anther color: Close to 10D. Pollen: None observed.             Pistils: Quantity: About two per flower. Pistil length:             About 1.75 cm. Stigma shape: Pointed, curled. Stigma color:             Close to NN155C. Style length: About 1.25 cm. Style color:             Close to NN155C. Ovary shape: Oblong. Ovary texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Fruits and seeds:             Fruit and seed development have not been observed on plants             of the new Dianthus to date. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dianthus have not been     observed to be tolerate Botrytis (Botrytis cinerea) and Cercospora     (Cercospora spp.). Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed     to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Dianthus     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dianthus have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5a to 9a. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘KonD1335K1’ as illustrated and described. 